There is a major religious movement taking place today, totally new and never seen before in history, claiming to be the sole and true understanding of scriptures related to the identity of modern "Israelites" and their importance historically, currently and in the future.
As with any false religious system, this one has a lot of basis in truth, but it takes this and twists it into a grotesque and misshapen parody of the pure truth.
"Identity" believers have mistaken the invention of all things for the work of restoring all things. They have corrupted the pure truth with their carnal human-devised "wisdom."
Based upon the thesis that "original scripture" language, grammar and meaning is everything, but failing to recognize that full knowledge of all these has been withheld from a wicked and rebellious generation today, teachers in this new heresy lean to their own understandings as they teach about things not found in scripture, while wrangling over words, meanings and interpretations with anyone who can see through their subterfuge.
Adam-antly Wrong!
The major heresy of this new religion, with a pseudo-righteous veneer, is the teaching that only descendants of Adam and Eve are "Yasraelite" and that all other races existed before their creation and cannot share in salvation.
What follows is only a very brief synopsis of just a few of the scriptural evidences that those who accept and unrepentantly follow such beliefs have opened themselves to a racist and adversarial way of thinking that rejects the true Savior and everything He stands for, including the salvation of all nations (at least those worthy of this blessing, following His imminent return to rule earth), by means of our Creator's efforts through His few righteous servants, given His inspiration and guidance, who are of Yasraelite descent first, but also anyone of any other race who is repentant!
Let's begin with the idea that no other race other than racial Yasraelites can receive the blessing of eternal life through the first resurrection.
In Revelation 7, verses 4-8, we learn that there will be 144,000 Yasraelites, 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes, who will participate in that future event.
Not a great number compared to the millions of racial descendants of Yasrael today and historically, among the European, English, Australian and North American peoples who are the heirs of those twelve ancient tribes of Yasrael.
However, in verse 9 we also learn about "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb."
These are also participants in that blessed event, for as the rest of this verse and the next continues to reveal:
"They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: 'Salvation belongs to our Almighty One, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb" (Revelation 7:9-10).
White robes are the reward given to righteous people, indicating their salvation and place in our Creator's future Kingdom (verses 13-17).
Deviated Doctrine
They are not just racial Yasraelites who are purchased with the Savior's blood for the Almighty One "from every tribe and language and people and nation" (Revelation 5:9).
Now this is where the "Identity" teachers all deviate from this revelation, by claiming that all words such as "nation," "tribe," "people" and "language" must be interpreted solely as descendants of the "Israelites" because, so their doctrine goes, the promises of salvation were made solely to them exclusively, and to no other race.
However, since the 144,000 are specifically 12,000 Yasraelites from every tribe, this excludes the great multitude from every nation, tribe, people and language, which by this very context must be nations, tribes, peoples and languages other than Yasraelite by descent.
Yet "Identity" believers and teachers would sit as judges over those being called out of all races on earth, to deny them salvation, through a racial prejudice no less vile than open hostility, violence and bloodshed against any other race than their own.
These stark scriptural facts are hastily ignored by all "Identity" apologists, who refuse to look closely into anything other than their own highly flawed, corrupted, twisted and distorted visions or ideas of what scriptures supposedly "reveal," to anyone dumb or gullible enough to listen, or arrogant and intellectually dishonest enough to suppress the truth, through their false misunderstandings of "original language," grammar and obscure "figures of speech" understood only by them.
They violate the clear and apparent teaching of II Timothy 2:14, 23-26:
"Warn them before the Almighty One against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen....
"Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And Yahveh's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, apt to teach, not resentful:
"Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that the Almighty One will grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the false accuser, who has taken them captive to do his will."
Notice this does not say that understanding grammar, figures of speech, or the supposed original language of scriptures leads anyone to a knowledge of the truth.
Errant "Inspiration"
Some knowledge of the language in which scripture was written is necessary to add proof to the revelations given without such knowledge, however this is by no means the sole or final arbiter of what is true or inspired.
Rather it is repentance alone that can accomplish this. And what is repentance?
The word means turning away from error to embrace the truth. A truth not apparent in scriptures long tampered with by dishonest scribes or translators, but by living men sent to teach truth rejected by the religious leaders, "authorities" and their unrepentant followers, who have strayed far from the revelation of truth in this or any past age.
This includes those who teach "inerrant scriptures" as well as those who claim to have an exclusive "inside track" on "original inspired" scriptures alike, for as one prophet accurately warned:
"How can you say, 'We are wise, for we have the law of Yahveh,' when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?
"The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of Yahveh [through His living apostles, prophets and teachers], what kind of wisdom do they have?" ("Jeremiah" 8:8-9).
As you have seen, there is an enormous difference between understanding the true context of scripture and leaning to one's own private interpretation of meanings, figures of speech, supposedly "inspired" original intention of words used, and the like.
Modern Religious Rebels
Just as II "Peter" 1:20 warns: "Above all, you must understand that every prophecy of Scripture did not come into being by any private interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from the Almighty One as they were carried along by the Sacred Spirit."
Also, despite the apparent best intentions of most who look into and attempt to understand scripture according to "original inspired" meanings, figures of speech, grammar and the like, two things stand in their way, which most fail to overcome.
First there is the carnal human nature to which we are all subject, in one degree or another, which desperately desires its own will (or so-called "wisdom") over that of our Creator's.
Leaning to our own understanding is nothing less than the same sin Korah and his companions were guilty of, in opposition to the Creator-granted right of Moses to stand before them as His exclusive prophet and representative, during the exodus and the forty years of wandering in the wilderness.
Second is the fact that no truly original copies of any of the scriptures have yet been discovered or still survive today (at least as far as modern mankind is aware).
Therefore we can only conclude that, as in the days before those scriptures were first penned, today we must rely more on inspired teachings of a living servant sent by our Creator and, in relation to the scriptures, proper context and wisely discerning the scriptures through the inspiration of the sacred Spirit is far more important than merely assumed private interpretations of words, grammar or figures of speech.
In short, without true inspiration -- which many falsely assume they somehow automatically possess already, without the need for any outside instruction or training -- no attempt to understand scripture will succeed in revealing its true intent, any more than the assumptions of those hearing the Savior's parables about their meaning ever revealed the purpose and true understanding of those parables.
Instead, we must learn to ask, and then seek to learn -- being teachable and willing, like little children -- listening carefully to anyone who appears to have any wisdom in understanding the scriptures, without trying to teach or instruct them in our own ideas instead, by searching the scriptures daily to see if the things they say or teach are so, as the noble Bereans once did (cf. Acts 17:11).
Bearing always in mind what the Savior prophesied concerning one single individual man, a "lone teacher" (in righteousness) as it were -- and not whole religions, religious movements, groups of preachers of any other such pretended attempt to inadequately fulfill this role -- who was to be sent in the last days to restore all things; for all things would then be in need of restoration ("Matthew" 17:11; Mark 9:12; cf. Acts 3:21).
The Lone Teacher of Righteousness?
A lone teacher and prophet of righteousness would restore the correct understanding of the Creator's Law, Commandments, Statutes and Judgments, which alone define righteousness (Malachi 4:4-6; Luke 1:17; cf. Psalm 119:7, 75, 138, 144, 151-152, 172).
Unlike the majority today who falsely teach this Law was somehow "fulfilled" -- as in "done away with," no longer to be obeyed -- inspired scripture teaches that the Law and righteousness (which is defined solely by that Law) is true, everlasting, and will never be rescinded (Psalm 119:142, 144, 160).
One of the "identity" movement's unique teachings, never seen in any historical context, is the idea that there were other people on earth prior to the creation of Adam and Eve, who continued to exist alongside their descendants, and even survived through the flood, which is taught by "identity" believers as having been only a regional and not a worldwide flood.
This is the only way they can justify beliefs that all non-white, non-"Israelite" peoples are supposedly excluded from all the scriptural promises of salvation and inheriting the Kingdom.
Many meanings of various words are therefore twisted, distorted and taught as "truthful understandings" in order to promote this major false idea and belief, to convince gullible white people to accept ideas and a spirit similar to that taught by black Muslims about the supposed "superiority" of blacks over all whites, only the reverse.
Ignored in all this are several key facts. First, Yasraelite descendants do not comprise all Caucasian people on earth today. There are many descendants of Sem, such as the Assyrian/Russians and others, who though distantly related are anything but Yasraelite.
There are, for instance, many Arabic descendants of Ysmael and Median among the descendants of Abraham, who are distant relatives, but not directly descended from Yasrael.
Also, the Moabites and Edomites, descendants respectively of Abraham's nephew Lot and Esav, Yasrael's non-identical twin brother, are still counted among the Caucasian people on earth today
Flawed Argumentative Suppositions
In terms of whether or not righteousness can exist in anyone other than the descendants of Yasrael, there are two major flaws in this concept.
First, very few Yasraelites have been, or are, righteous historically or even today. The low number of 144,000 -- just 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Yasrael -- being counted among the righteous at the Savior's return, is evidence enough of this fact.
Second, Lot was a righteous man, as was "Job" -- neither of which were of Yasraelite descent -- the first being the only man worthy of being saved from the judgment of total destruction upon ancient Sodom and Gomorrah (the Moabites being counted among Lot's descendants).
Frankly, the ideas of people existing on earth outside Eden at creation not only puts a lie to the scriptural account of creation, it also was never taught during the New Testament period, when such a "revelation" should have been openly unveiled, if there were any truth at all to this modern doctrinal heresy.
The disciples/apostles, prophets and teachers of that era would have laughed to scorn and utterly shunned anyone proposing such a ludicrous and unscriptural idea, had it surfaced in their day.
As mentioned at the start, this is only a very brief and scant synopsis of the fallacies and errors of this flawed religious system of belief and modern heresy. Anything further would certainly never serve to convince anyone holding this major mistaken faith today of their error.
This movement is based entirely on argumentative suppositions posing as "facts," some basic truths distorted and twisted into a grotesque parody of the pure truth, and a complete unwillingness and even arrogance in refusing to humbly remain teachable or open to any correction whatever.
Having dealt personally over the years with some of those who hold and utterly refuse to repent of these beliefs, in my experience this is indeed a major hallmark of this misguided and errant religious philosophy.
The answer to the question: "Identity or not?" -- in relation to all those who claim to understand the sole scriptural truth on this devious topic -- for those able to discern the actual pure truth, is definitely not.